Dental bite register



July s, 1958 E. GLUECK 2,841,872

DENTAL BITE REGISTER Filed Oct. 25, 1955 IN VEN TOR. EUGENE G-L UECK United States Patent DENTAL BITE REGISTER Eugene Glueck, New York, N.

Application October 25, 1955, Serial No. 542,599

11 Claims. (CI. 3219) This invention relates to a dental instrument for the establishment of the patients correct bite and the relationship of the upper and lower jaws in centric position just as he had before with his own teeth. Namely, if the patient lost all of his teeth and must acquire a complete artificial set of teeth, the dentist has the following procedure: First, he takes an impression from the patients jaws, after which a model is made from plaster of paris; on this model are made temporary base plates, from wax or shellac or other material. These temporary plates are provided with wax rims. The technical name of the temporary plate is bite block. In order to get from the patient the upper and lower jaw relationship, the dentist inserts in the patients mouth the upper and lower bite blocks and instructs the patient to close his mouth. Previously, the wax rims are softened with a hot spatula. When the patient closes his mouth, and as the lower bite block comes in contact with the upper bite block, the softened wax rims become solidly attached to each other. The next step: the models are assembled in the bite blocks and mounted in an articulator, then the teeth are set up in wax in occluding position; the dentist checks the set-up of teeth, in the patients mouth, to see if the patient makes the correct bite with the bite blocks. At once it is noticeable that the teeth do not meet or occlude in the patients mouth as the teeth occlude in the articulator, thus proving that the patient did not give the correct bite, and the false bite is obvious. The dentist must repeat the operation to take another bite registration from the patient. The reason for the bite block technique being imperfect is that the occlusal planes of the wax rim are not even in degree on both sides. To illustrate conventional practice, when the dentist inserts the upper and lower bite blocks in the patients mouth, he observes for himself, when the patient closes his mouth, that the bite blocks do not register properly, e. g., the bite blocks contact one another on one side and fail to contact one another on the other side. To correct the improper registration, the dentist will frequently soften the wax rims of the bite blocks with a hot spatula and then instruct the patient to bite while the wax rims are softened whereby the patients own bite is employed to distort the bite blocks in an effort to correct the improper registration thereof. This method is not accurate and results in poor alignment of the teeth in the denture product.

My invention is an improvement in dental attachments for use in making artificial dentures, and makes it possible for the dentist to get from the patient the correct bite instantly.

This bite register instrument is comprised of two attachments, one for the upper jaw and one for the lower jaw. This dental attachment is manufactured from metal, such as aluminum or plastic or any similar material. The top plate of the upper attachment has a smooth surface. The top surface of the kidney-shaped plate of the lower attachment is also smooth.

2,841,872 Patented July 8, 1958 A preferred embodiment of my invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description; and is shown in the accompanying drawing forming part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation view of the invention in the articulator and in open position.

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation view of my invention, in the articulator, and in closed position.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the upper attachment.

Fig. 4 is a section through the assembled parts of the lower attachment.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the lower bite register.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the kidneyshaped metal part of the lower bite (register) attachment showing serrations.

Fig. 7 shows the upper bite (register) attachment in perspective and assembled.

In Figure l the novel bite register assemblies are shown mounted on an articulator having an upper section 3 and a lower section 4. The upper assembly 1, comprises an upper plate 13 and a similar lower plate 15 provided with cut out portions 2t) and 21. Plates 13 and 15 are secured with a nut 16 and bolt 14 thru an elongated slot 19 in the center of plate 15 permitting relative adjustment. Cut out portions 20 and 21 provide space for placing wax deposits for registration with pins 9 on the lower assembly. The upper assembly 1 is secured by wax to an artificial gum plate 5 which in turn is mounted upon an upper jaw 6 of the articulator.

The lower assembly 2 is secured to an artificial gum plate 5 that is mounted on a lower jaw 6 of the articulator lower section 4. Assembly 2 comprises a V-shaped lower plate 8 from which project pins 9 on which are mounted springs 10. A pair of kidney shaped plates having holes 12 are placed over the plate 8 with pins 9 fitting into holes 12. Thus plates 11 are supported resiliently by springs 14 As shown in Fig. 2, the upper and lower attachments are shown engaged in the biting process, this process being copied or reproduced by the articulator 7. The two marking pins 9 are under bite pressure and shown entering the open slot 21 of the upper attachment. As can be seen, the kidney-shaped smooth surfaced plate 11 is in contact with the smooth-surfaced opposing plate 15. The articulator 7, which simulates the movement of the upper and lower jaws of the patient, comprises upper head 3, upper jaw 6, temporary base plate 5 and top plate 13 of the upper attachment which is secured with wax to the temporary base plate 5. The articulator 7 further comprises lower head 4, lower jaw 6 and temporary base plate 5 which is connected to the bottom plate 8 upon which is mounted the springs 10 and the kidney-shaped plate 11. The lower attachment can be modified by using three pins, one pin in the center of the bottom plate and one pin on each side of the plate to hold the springs 10. To keep the springs 10 hidden from the naked eye and to make sterilizing easier, the springs 10 can be hidden in tubing (not shown).

As shown in Fig. 3, the upper attachment is comprised of two plates. The top plate 13 takes up a triform shape as'the upper jaw form and is provided with an uprising threaded bolt 14. The bottom plate 15 is securely attached to the top plate by a nut 16. The bottom plate 15 is provided with three cutout open slots, the two side slots 2121 and the smaller open slot 20 which is positioned at the front of the plate on the median line of the plate. The purpose of these open slots is to hold wax for registration of the bite. The closed slot 19 is larger and wider than the threaded bolt 14. The reason for this is that the dentist is able to adjust the bottom plate position by shifting bottom plate 15 sideways, backwards and forwards, as required. The nut 16 is loosened to permit shifting of bottom plate 15 and is tightened when the bottom plate 15 has been properly relocated. The separation of the two plates of the upper attachment has another advantage, i. e., if the dentist desires to make a space between the two plates for the purpose of establishment of the vertical height, he unscrews the nut 16 and puts on spacers or washers on the threaded bolt 14 until the desired space is achieved. Then he reassembles the top plate 15 and tightens nut 16.

Fig. 4 is a section through the assembled parts of the lower bite register showing the bottom plate 8 and the marking pins 9 which pass through the springs 10 which carry the kidney-shaped plate 11. The springs 10 are inserted in the countersunk holes 18 which communicate with smaller holes 12. The purpose of small holes 12 is to insure that the marking pins 9 are hidden in the kidney-shaped metal plate 11. The purpose of having the pins 9 hidden within hole 18 beneath hole 12 is so that the patient, before he applies a biting pressure, is able to make a lateral or protrusive movement without causing the pins 9 to make a marking movement through holes 12. In this manner the dentist may check the patients lower jaw movements without causing a mark to be produced by the pins 9.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the lower attachment. The lower attachment is constituted, in the form illustrated, by three metal plates. The bottom plate 8 is arcuate and shaped to correspond with the lower jaw formation. Positioned upon the bottom plate 8 are upstanding marking pins 9, there being at least two side marking pins and a forward marking pin. In the form of the invention illustrated, the side marking pins are arranged in pairs (two on each side). Resiliently supported upon the marking pins 9 by the springs 10 are kidney-shaped metal plates 11. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the kidney-shaped plates 11 are positioned intermediate the upper attachment and the bottom plate 8 of the lower attachment. In operation, biting pressure forces the kidney-shaped plates 11 downwardly until the marking pins 9 protrude through the holes 12 which are formed in the upper surface of the kidney-shaped plates. The marking pins 9 are positioned to oppose the open slots 21 in the upper attachment. The open slots 21 are preferably large to facilitate alignment with the marking pins.

When the dentist is ready to take the bite registration, he fills the open slots 21 and 22 with wax and, after positioning the upper and lower attachments in the jaw of the patient, he instructs the patient to bite. The upper attachment bores downwardly upon the kidneyshaped plates and the springs 10 are forced to yield until the points of the marking pins 9 protrude through the holes 12 to make an impression in the wax. When all three portions of wax in the upper attachment are correspondingly marked by the pins 9, then the temporary plates are in registration.

There is an advantage in employing 5 marking pins (comprising two side marking pins on each side and a single forward marking pin) since the utilization of a greater number of marking pins serves to prevent the lower jaw from moving in protrusive or lateral direction. Further, the use of two springs for each of the kidneyshaped plates 11 facilitates obtaining a proper marking of the wax by the pins 9.

The normal biting pressure will vary from person to person. Thus, some people apply a 20 pound biting pressure while other people apply a 40 pound biting pressure. The dentist is able to observe for himself whether the patients biting pressure is suflicient or excessive. If biting pressure is excessive for the use of a single spring, a second spring may be added to provide increased resistance to a stronger bite. On the other hand, if two springs are excessive, one of these may be removed to permit the registration device of the invention to be employed upon a person having a lighter bite.

The number of side marking pins may be reduced to employ, as a minimum, one pin on each side. In such cases, the springs 10 may be made in three strengths, such as soft, medium, and hard, so that the device of the invention may be adjusted by selection of the spring whereby a proper marking may be made by persons who apply different biting pressures.

Fig. 6 shows the kidney-shaped plate surface 11' provided with serrations. The upper attachment bottom plate 15 which has the design with the open slots is also made with serrations. The purpose of this is to insure that the slightest movement of the lower jaw in protrusive or lateral direction is prevented, because when both attachment surfaces are in contact the opposing serrations lock instantly, allowing the patient to bite only in centric direction.

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the upper attachment showing the elements pictured in Fig. 3 in assembled relation. It will be understood that the upper attachment may, if desired, be manufactured in a single piece. In such event, this single piece is provided with a single central slot similar to the slot 19 to provide for adjustment of the single piece with respect to its position and direction in the upper base plate 5. The single piece may be secured to the base plate 5 in any desired manner, as, for example, by a bolt mounted in the base plate 5 with a nut being employed to connect the single piece with the bolt.

I claim:

1. A dental bite register device comprising an upper assembly adapted to be mounted on an upper temporary base plate and a lower assembly adapted to be mounted on a lower temporary base plate, said upper assembly comprising a plate defining spaced apart cut out portions including at least one front cut out portion and a pair of opposite side cut out portions, said cut out portions being adapted to be filled with wax, said lower assembly comprising a plate having a plurality of upstanding pins including at least one front pin and a pair of opposite side pins, the cut out portions of said upper assembly being in registration with said pins, intermediate plate means extending over said side pins, resil-- ient means mounting said intermediate plate means upon the plate of said lower assembly above said side pins, said intermediate plate means defining holes for the passage therethrough of said side pins, said intermediate plate means and said side cut out portions being configurated so that said intermediate plate means will abut the plate of said upper assembly without entering said side out out portions.

2. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said intermediate plate means comprises a pair of kidney-shaped plates overlying said side pins.

3. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said resilient means mounting said intermediate plate means is constiuted by springs mounted on said side pins.

4. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said intermediate plate means defines holes which are smaller at the upper surface thereof and said pins are normally positioned within said holes beneath the upper surface of said intermediate plate means.

5. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which the lower surface of said upper assembly and the upper surface of said intermediate plate are serrated to prevent movement of said intermediate plate with respect to said upper assembly when the two contact one another.

6. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said lower assembly is provided with two upstanding pins on each side thereof.

7. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said upper and lower assemblies are made of plastic.

8. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 1 in which said upper and lower assemblies are made of metal.

9. A dental bite register device comprising an upper assembly adapted to be mounted on an upper temporary base plate and a lower assembly adapted to be mounted on a lower temporary base plate, said upper assembly comprising a pair of plates secured together with the upper of said pair of plates being adapted to be secured to an upper temporary base plate and with the lower of said pair of plates defining spaced apart cut out portions including at least one front cut out portion and a pair of opposite side out out portions and a central slot, said lower plates being releasably secured to said upper plate of said pair of plates through said central slot whereby said lower plate of said pair of plates may be adjustably positioned, said out out portions being adapted to be filled with wax, said lower assembly comprising a plate having a plurality of upstanding pins including at least one front pin and a pair of opposite side pins, the cut out portions of said upper assembly being in registration with said pins, intermediate plate means extending over said side pins, resilient means mounting said intermediate plate means upon the plate of said lower assembly above said side pins, said intermediate plate means defining holes for the passage therethrough of said side pins, said intermediate plate means and said side out out portions being configurated so that said intermediate plate means will. abut, the plate of said upper assembly without entering said side out out portions.

10. In a dental bite register device, an arcuate plate adapted to be mounted on a temporary base plate, a plurality of upstanding pins mounted on said arcuate plate including at least a front pin and a pair of opposite side pins, plate means extending over said side pins, said plate means defining holes for the passage therethrough of said side pins, and resilient means mounting said plate means upon said arcuate plate for movement toward and away from said arcuate plate, said intermediate plate means being normally positioned by said resilient means so that said pins do not extend through said holes and said intermediate plate ments being depressible toward said arcuate plate upon application of biting pressure to cause said pins to extend through said intermediate plate means.

11. A dental bite register device as recited in claim 10 in which said plate means comprises a pair of kidneyshaped plates.

Leathers July 24, 1951 Avary Oct. 7, 1952 

